MacMillan modern black tartan

[Fedgunner]

This is from the MacMillan Clan Chief.

"Have you any knowledge of a Branch member who likes to wear the MacMillan 'black' tartan?<snip>
So far as I'm concerned, he can wear whatever he likes. But, if he tries to persuade others that it's an authentic MacMillan tartan, I suppose I'll have to disabuse him. "

I'm afraid this would be me.

The above is a direct quote from our Clan Chief.

You MacMillans now are brought up to speed. The modern black is not recognized as official.
I will continue to wear mine. I will let others know of the Clan Chief's descision.

Jack/Fedgunner

[James MacMillan]

Aw gee, I'm crushed.

[Riverkilt]

I'm more partial to our bright red and yellow tartan...MacMillian Dress I believe its called....high on my wish list.

Can't picture what the black looks like, but the mere fact that its okay, but its not okay, makes me curious....

Ron

[McMurdo]

Here is what I found doing a search for MacMillian Black Tartan:

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Here is what I found doing a search for MacMillian Black Tartan:

Back in, I believe, 1898 the Clan MacMillan Society of Glasgow designed a tartan for the members of the Society based on the MacMillan Ancient tartan. This was done because the majority of the membership was unhappy with the off-set sett of the Ancient tartan. The colours were not changed, and with the exception of the black background (and possibly the white stripe), it looked virtually the same as the "Modern Black MacMillan" tartan.

[ChattanCat]

I like it.
I think pleated to the black strip would set your chief off!

[Riverkilt]

But, but...that looks like what Marton Mills sells as MacMillan....?

This is getting both confusing and interesting.

Ron

[McMurdo]

To the STA Batman!!!

http://www.tartansauthority.com/web/site/cart2.asp

[M. A. C. Newsome]

That is what Marton Mills sells as MacMillan; it's simply a fashion variation. I don't know if they designed it themselves, or not, but apparantly whoever did so concieved of it without the cheif's blessing.

This happens all the time, really. A tartan is popular, and so a mill will introduce some variation of it with a new twist. No big deal, so long as no one attempts to pass it off as a "clan tartan" when the cheif says otherwise.

For instance, my co-worker at the museum wears a tartan we had custom woven for him called "Black MacGregor." It's based on the approved MacGregor clan tartan, with the main color changed to black. It is by no means a "clan tartan" -- it is a personal tartan he had woven for himself because he liked it. And he's never tried to push it as a clan tartan.

That's all I read into the chief's statement above. It's not a clan tartan, and he doesn't want people misled into believing it is a clan tartan. As the clan chief, that is his perogative.

Aye,
Matt

[BoldHighlander]

That is what Marton Mills sells as MacMillan; it's simply a fashion variation. I don't know if they designed it themselves, or not, but apparantly whoever did so concieved of it without the cheif's blessing.

This happens all the time, really. A tartan is popular, and so a mill will introduce some variation of it with a new twist. No big deal, so long as no one attempts to pass it off as a "clan tartan" when the cheif says otherwise.

The same thing has more or less happened with the newer Dress Mackay tartan:
http://www.clanmackayusa.org/NewTartan/NewTartan.htm
it was designed by the US branch of the Mackay clan, who have attempted to get our Chief, the Lord Reay, to recognize it but have yet to get any response from him, so it was registered with the STA as an unofficial and a corporate tartan of the Clan Mackay Society, USA.